Pick-Up Problems
by silver-knows-not
Summary: AU Maura has some issues with the whisperings of the other mothers while picking their daughter up from school. Jane fixes it. Pre-established Rizzles.


_So this is based off a prompt I saw on tumblr like a zillion years ago, and it's probably been done before, but I wanted to try my hand at writing, and I wanted to start with something simple. So here goes my first attempt at writing... ever!_

* * *

*R&I*

* * *

It had been going on since the third week into September when Maura insisted she be the one to pick up their daughter from kindergarten rather than Jane's mother. Her and Jane worked so much already, she was happy to jump at the chance to spend an extra half hour with their little girl before dropping her off with Angela.

It started with the looks.

The other mothers a nannies shot her glances filled with something that could be interpreted as disapproval. At first, she didn't notice much. None of the other mothers had met her before. It was natural for them to feel a sense of curiosity about her.

When the final bell sounded, she gathered her Maddie in her arms, kissed her cheeks, and forgot all about the women in the hall.

* * *

After a few days, the looks didn't stop. And worse: the whispering started. She thought maybe it was because of her clothes. Often times at work, she'd have to change back and forth between her scrubs and regular clothes depending on the autopsy schedule. But this often resulted in unsightly wrinkles and creases in her clothing. But was it really so bad the other mothers felt the need to whisper behind her back?

It seemed that each day, they had something more to gossip about. Her clothes, her hair (did she need to color it again?), her daughter...

She swore she caught Maddie's name in their whispers, and that alone twisted her in knots. They could talk about the doctor as much as they pleased, but her _daughter?_ Not a chance. Not her baby.

Maddie was their little wild child. Their happy girl. She seemed to have an endless supply of energy, but she was well-behaved and sharper than any five-year-old Maura had ever come across. Surely there was nothing but good things the other women could be saying about her child.

She'd been under the impression she could befriend some of the other mothers during those few minutes before the bell, but that had not been the case at all. None of them seemed to want anything to do with her or her daughter.

* * *

It wasn't until a few months later when Maura finally realized the reason for the whispers.

The mothers and nannies had congregated on the other side of the cubbies as Maura knelt to help zip up Maddie's bright orange winter coat. From her hidden spot, she could hear nearly everything they were saying.

"I just feel terrible for little Maddie, though. I couldn't imagine growing up like that."

Maura froze, her spine tingling. Did they not know she was _right_ there? She couldn't eavesdrop. It was unethical... but overhearing on the other hand...

" _I know!_ I was thinking the same thing. Why bring a child up in an environment like that?"

The doctor felt a pang of guilt in her chest. Maybe they knew Maddie spent most of the day at school with her grandmother. Maybe they knew just how much she and Jane had to work.

"You know Mommy loves you, right baby?" she whispered to Maddie, keeping her voice low. She was a smaller version Maura with light eyes and fair hair, but she got Jane's determined eyes and her fiery personality for sure.

"Yeah!" Maddie thrust her mitten-clad hands into the air. "Love you, Mommy."

Maura pulled her daughter into her arms and hugged her close, "Mama can't be here right now, but she loves you too."

"I know!"

On the other side of the cubbies, she heard the mothers talking again. This time at full volume. They must have thought she left already.

"It's just not natural! _Two_ mothers? Who's going to protect the girl from the boys when she gets that age? Every child needs a father figure."

Oh.

She stood up then, took her daughter's hand in her own, and walked out with as much dignity and poise she could summon. But on the inside she was cracking.

"Do you think she heard us?" a voice said from behind her.

* * *

That night she told Jane about the mothers for the first time. Up until then, Jane knew nothing of her wife's trips to pick up Maddie. She assumed all was well because Maura gave her no reason to believe otherwise.

Upon hearing the recount of earlier in the day, Jane circled around the island in their kitchen to comfort her wife. She knew it was a bad idea to send Madeline to a snooty private school, she just didn't know _who_ it would end up hurting.

"Hey," Jane said, slipping her arms around Maura's waist and rocking them gently left and right. "They don't know what they're talking about. Maddie's an amazing kid. No 'father figure' would change anything."

Maura rested her head against her wife's chest, closing her eyes and trying to push out those horrible voices. "I know that... But imagine what they teach their children... What if Maddie comes home from school in tears because the kids tease her about having two mothers? I don't want her to have to deal with that. She's just a child, Jane... I think we should find another school."

"What? Why?"

"I just... I just don't want Maddie to get bullied because of this.

Jane chuckled then, knowing it was so like Maura to want protect Maddie from every little thing. If she had her way the three of them would be wearing hazmat suits everyday.

"I wouldn't worry about our kid too much, Maur. She's a lot like you. She's strong."

Maura sighed. Jane always seemed to have the right words to make her feel better. And she was right too. Maddie was their little fighter.

Jane kissed the top of her wife's head. "Do you want me to say something?"

"I can't imagine it would help much."

"Want me to arrest them? Knock 'em around a bit?" she said, smiling against Maura's hair.

"Yes," the smaller woman said, tightening her grip around Jane's waist. "I really do... but it won't solve anything."

"Alright," Jane said, resting her chin on top of Maura's head. "We'll figure something out."

* * *

Maura arrived at the school the next day, slightly disheartened that she'd have to endure another day of it. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad today. Maybe they were over it. Maybe they found some decency overnight.

Of course not.

The second she walked in, she could feel their eyes. Nothing was different at all. In fact, she even felt a little foolish for ever hoping it would be. She spent five torturous minutes staring at her feet and holding back the sudden urge to fidget. All she knew for sure was that she couldn't let them know their words did anything to faze her.

When the bell finally rang, she searched the crowd of children, locating Maddie easily. Earlier that morning the child had insisted on wearing her _Spongebob Squarepant_ s t-shirt to school. After a half hour of trying to convince the child to wear the muted-green sweater highly-urged by the school as something of a uniform piece, Maura gave up and just let the child wear the shirt. It was only one day, after all.

But she could see the disgust in the other parents' eyes as they watched Maddie sprint to the doctor. No doubt they were whispering about how a man would _never_ let their child break the rules like that.

"Hey, baby," Maura said, lifting the girl into her arms and ignoring the dirty looks. "Did you have a good day?"

"Yeah! The firemans came an' they showed us their dog. I got to pet him an' everything!"

"That's great, baby."

"Oh! Oh! An' they showed us how to stop, drop, an' roll."

Maura laughed a little. Maddie was so excited about everything. Nothing seemed to get her down. Maura wished she could have that kind of zeal.

"Okay, go get your backpack." She lowered the girl to her feet and watched her take off into the crowd of students around the cubbies.

Distraction gone, she could feel the eyes on her again. How she wished for the courage to turn, look them all in the eyes, and tell them to _back off._ But the thought alone made her shudder. She turned back to her daughter, happy to find her getting along with the other children and waiting her turn to get to her cubbie.

Maura sneaked a glance over at the other mothers, immediately taken aback by all their matching wide-eyed expressions. Confused, she turned her head in the direction of their awe, a smile taking over her face as she realized just who they were looking at.

All dark aviator sunglasses, white button-up, and swagger, Jane walked into the pick-up area in much the same way Maura had seen her walk into crime scene surrounded by reporters. Badge on full display at her hip, she looked more ready to apprehend a suspect rather than pick up her child from school.

Her badass detective.

Maura chuckled as the brunette dipped down to drop a short kiss on her cheek. "Hey. What are you doing here?"

Jane looped an arm around her waist and shot a hard look toward the cluster of parents in the corner as if daring them to make a comment now. "Making sure everyone's treating my girls right."

Another glance over at the pool of waiting parents, proved Jane's presence was more than unnerving them. No one was looking at them now. It felt unreasonably good to no longer be the negative center of attention.

When Maddie saw both her mothers waiting for her, she practically ripped her backpack off the hook and shoved through the crowd of kids. Coming off her sprint, she launched herself into Jane's arms, giggling at the noise of surprise her mother made.

"Hey, kid."

"Mama, you're here _too!"_

Jane set the girl back on her feet, "Yeah. Couldn't stay away, kid."

As they each took one of Maddie's hands, Maura sneaked one last glance over her shoulder, slightly surprised when about a dozen awestruck jaws snapped shut and heads turned away. Maybe one look at Jane set them straight. But what did any of that matter when her daughter was singing the steps of fire safety as the three of them walked down the hall? What does any of that matter when she's got her own detective to look out for her?

Outside the building, Maddie broke free of their hands and bounded a few feet ahead to Maura's car. Jane pulled the doctor in close to her side, about ready to climb back into her cruiser and return to work until later this evening.

"How do you feel now?"

Maura let out a quiet laugh. How she managed to catch someone like Jane was beyond her, but she was damn glad she did.

"Better," she said, stopping to unlock the door for Maddie. "I think it's going to be okay."

"So we won't be looking for another school?"

Maura looked through the window at their little girl singing to herself as she buckled into her booster seat. After everything had happened, she seemed to have forgotten just how happy Maddie was at the school. She had friends, and she really was learning quickly. It would be almost criminal to make her transfer schools just because some parents couldn't keep their comments to themselves. She sighed and returned her gaze to the brunette.

"No. I think she'll be just fine."

"Me too, Maur. Me too."

* * *

*R&I*

* * *

 _Again, this is my first attempt at writing anything, so please be kind. :)_


End file.
